Bedwetting (Nocturnal Enuresis) in Children

Contact the Voiding Improvement Program

Nocturnal enuresis, better known as bedwetting, occurs when a sleeping child cannot hold his or her urine at night.

Don't worry—most of the time the situation resolves on its own.

Some children don't attain nighttime control for several years after they have complete control during the day.

Bedwetting occurs in 15 to 20 percent of all 5-year-old children, and in 10 percent of 7-year-olds.

Twenty percent of children with this problem have some degree of daytime wetting.

How Boston Children's Hospital approaches bedwetting

There are several options for treating bedwetting. Your pediatric urologist can help guide you to what's best for you and your child, keeping in mind that the burden of therapy shouldn't outweigh the burden of the condition itself.

Experts in Children's Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders carefully learn about bedwetting and any other problems your child is having with sleep, and then thoughtfully develop a plan for solving them.

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